Around 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced worldwide per year. Of these, over 8 million go into the sea and swell the so-called "plastic islands" present in the oceans of the globe, extensive accumulations of this material that were formed because of the ocean currents. A large part of these islands is made of single use plastics fragments. Every ten seconds, 240,000 disposable plastic bags are used globally. Part of these, end up in the oceans and can be accidentally ingested by marine animals: fish, mammals, turtles, birds.
A problem that not only concerns the health of the fauna, but also ours. Plastic, which ends up in the food chain, puts commercial fishing and aquaculture at risk. A significant risk for 1.4 billion people for which fish is one of the main sources of protein. 80% of the waste consists of plastic. At the top ten there are fragments ranging from 2.5 to 50 cm in length. Next, there are disposable crockery, caps and bottles, as well as cigarette butts. Protection devices against the Covid-19 have been found in one out of every three beaches: primarily disposable gloves - 56.8%, followed by masks - 34.1% and other sanitary items - 9.1%.
One of the possible solutions is the drastic reduction of disposable plastics. The European ban on disposable plastic tableware is expected by the end of 2021.
In the meantime we all can contribute to a healthier planet by choosing natural reusable materials. Try our eco-friendly kitchen ware, Say Yes to Life, Earth Thanks! 🌿
